Aeroplane-propeller



A. A. MOSHEH. AEROPLANE PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJO, 191?- 1',366,Q16, Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- A. A. MOSHER.

AEROPLANE PROPELLER.

APPLiCATlON FILED AUG-30,1917.

1,366,01 Patented Jan. 18, 1921.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. MOSHER, 0F GORWITH, IOWA.

AEROPLANE-PROPELLER. 7

Application filed August 30, 1917.

citizen of the United States, and resident of ()orwith, in the county of Hancock and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Aeroplane-Propeller, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane propeller of simple, durable and inexpensive construction. A further object of my invention is to provide a propeller capable of being properly secured to a frame whereby an aeroplane may be propelled through the air and whereby a large per cent. of the motive force of the aeroplane may be utilized to propel it.

A further object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane propeller capable of exerting considerable force, which is adapted to both lift the aeroplane off the ground and to sustain it away from the ground during flight.

A further object of my invention is to provide a propeller so arranged that the maximum ofair engaging surface may be presented to the air whereby a maximum propelling eliiciency may be attained.

A further object of my invention is to provide an endless chain or conveyer having fans or blades secured thereto adapted in one direction of their movement to present their greater areas to the air whereby the frictional resistance. of the air during their passage therethrough may be increased and also arranged to cause the air to present a minimum resistance when they are traveling the other way.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more "'fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of an aeroplane provided with propellers embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of one of the driving propellers.

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a portion of one 0f the" propeller blades.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. '18, 1921.

Serial No. 189,026.

- Fig. 4c shows a side elevation of the device whereby the propeller blades are rotated upon their axis in order to present their areas to. the air during their rearward movement.

Fig. 5 shows a vertical, sectional view of one end of the propellers shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 shows a top or plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 shows a modified form of propeller blade.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a framework or body of any suitable description in which is placed a motor (not shown).

In the form of body herewith disclosed a rectangular cabin is illustrated having the propellers, which are my invention, so arranged and attached thereto that they may selectively lift or drive the cabin'through the air. The lifting propellers are indicated by the reference numeral 11 and it will be seen that rotation of these propellers will cause the body 10 to be lifted off the ground. A suitable vane or rudder 12 is provided whereby the device maybe steered. Drivmay be found desirable in order to secure the maximum efficiency of the aeroplane. The driving propellers 13 may be inset laterally f om the body, if it should be found desira le for securing a greater efiiciency in driving the propellers or for convenience in arrangement.

Each propeller consists of a frame 14:, which may be secured to the main frame or body in any suitable manner. Rotatably mounted at each end of the frame 14 are a pair of shafts 15, one of which may be extended through the body 10 of the aeroplane and moved from the source of power therein. A pair 'of sprocket wheels 16 is secured to each shaft 15, the sprockets of each pair being spaced from each other and one sprocketof each pair being lifted with one sprocket of the other pair. A pair of chains 17 are extended over the alined sprockets of each pair, these chains being adapted to support the blades or fans by which the air displacement is secured, which drives the aeroplane.

The fans or blades may be of any desirable shape or size and constructed from any suitable material, but in the form shown consist of a rectangular frame 18 composed of rigid material and a sheet of pliable material 19 such as canvas or oil silk, which has its edges secured to the frame 18. One manner of securing the material 19 to the frame 18 is illustrated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 7 the pliable material is shown as being formed in the shape of a pyramid but it will be understood that this portion may be made in any desired shape and in some cases may be made from rigid materials as distinguished from flexible materials.

Each frame 18 is secured to a bar or cross rod 20, which is extended between the chains 17. This bar 20 is preferably disposed about one-third of the way from one end of the frame, so that the longer end of the frame will normally overbalanee the shorter end whereby the frames will tend to yieldingly move to a position lying in a vertical plane. Each end of the bar 20 projects somewhat from the chains 17 in which it is rotatably mounted and to these projecting ends are secured U-shaped brackets 21, which have their main or central portion disposed in planes at right-angles to the plane in which the frames 18 lie. The projecting ends 22 of the brackets 21 are each provided with rollers 23 for a purpose hereinafter described. A second set of cross bars or rods 24 are extended between the chain 17 adjacent to each of the rods 20. so that the blades or fans cannot make complete revolutions upon the rods 20.

' At one end of the frame 14 a downwardly projecting arm 25 is secured. which supports one end of a guide 26 in the path of travel 1 of the rollers 23. The other end of the guide 26 is secured to an extending portion 27 of the frame 14 in any suitable manner. It will be understood that the guide 26 follows the path of travel and is adapted to receive the rollers 23 through a period covering substantially half of the complete cycle of these rollers.

The object of the guide 26 and the rollers 23 is-to provide a means whereby the planes may be positioned'td present their greatest areas to the air during their movement in one direction. This is accomplished in the present embodiment of my invention by having the bracket, which supports each pair of rollers 23 arranged perpendicular to the planessin which the blades or fans lie.

so that when all the rollers for each blade enter the guide 26 the blade or fan will be turned to position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide thereby exposing the greatest area of the blades to the air. By havin the pivotal point of the blades arranged off center. they will naturally overbalanee the resistance of the air causing the blades to turn substantially edgewise to the. air during their return movement. They are. however, held during this return movement in the position substantially fixed relative to the chain 17 by means of the cross rods 24. which engage the frames 18 to prevent the longer ends thereto from swinging in betweenthe chain 17 as is shown in Fig. 5. As the blades approach the forward end of the conveyer, it will be seen that means must be provided to turn them from their position to a position substantially perpendicular to their line of travel. To accomplish this the end of the guide 26 adjacent to the forward sprocket 16 is provided with an extended inturned tongue 28, which eugages the inner of the rollers 23 of each fan and is so curved that the continued progress of the fan or blade causes the inner roller 23 to roll up into the channel thereby also throwing the outer roller 23 down to position to enter the channel or guide 26. \Vhen both rollers have entered the channel or guide 26. it is of such width that the main or central portion of the bracket 21 will be substantially in alinement with the longitudinal axis of t e guide whereby the blades or fans will be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide.

in the practical operation of my device any suitable frame or body, which it is desired to use, in connection with aircraft is built and the propellers, which are my invention, are then attached thereto in such position that they may either drive the aircraft forwardly or furnish a lifting force whereby the body may be moved foiwvardly from or held away from the earth. The propellers may, of course, also be used in connection with aircraft of the type having planes or gas bags. A suitable source of power is then placed in the body or frame and operatively connected with the propellers. so that they may be operated in the manner most suitable for their use.

It will be seen from the foregoing descrip tion of the propellers that they present a comparatively large air displacing area when being driven in the direction in which the propeller blades are turned at rightangles to their line of travel but that the return movement of the propellers causes the air to offer very little frictional resistance because the blades are returned edgewise or substantially parallel to their line of movement.

It will be understood that any suitable means may be provided to each position of the blades relative to their line of travel during their movements in the different d1- rections.

I claim as my invention:

In a device of the class described, a frame, a .pair of shafts thereon spaced horizontally from each other, endless devices on said shafts, spaced laterally from each other, a series of blades tiltably mounted on said 10 endless devices, a pair of vertically spaced mounted blades supported on the endless de- 15 vices on the respective pairs of vertically spaced shafts.

Des Moines, Iowa, August 17 1917.

ARTHUR A. MOSHER. 

